Wednesday, February 01, 2017

Éamonn Meehan of Trócaire elected new President of CIDSE

Éamonn Meehan, Executive Director of Trócaire, has been elected
President of CIDSE, the international family of Catholic social justice
organisations.

Mr Meehan has been a member of the CIDSE Board’s Executive Committee
since 2014 and brings 30 years of experience in international
development and global justice to his new role.

He has been elected to
the position for a three-year mandate and is succeeding President Heinz
Hödl, director of KOO, the office of the Austrian Catholic Bishops’
Conference for International Development.

Upon his election Mr Meehan said, “Since its foundation over 50 years
ago, CIDSE has always remained true to the call to challenge global
structural injustices in order to improve the lives of the world’s
poorest people. With inequality increasing, climate change rapidly
advancing and war and displacement destroying the lives of millions,
this challenge is even more urgent today. As President of CIDSE, I am
committed to building on the work of the network and contributing to the
change our world so badly needs.”

Bernd Nilles, Secretary General of CIDSE, welcomed the appointment
saying, “CIDSE looks forward to the presidency of Éamonn Meehan. His
experience will help the CIDSE alliance to further unite in its efforts
and strategies to promote greater societal and economic transformation
and to bring positive changes by putting the struggles of frontline
communities at the centre of our work.”

Cardinal Peter Turkson, Prefect of the new Dicastery for Promoting
Integral Human Development, and Mr Stefano Manservisi, Director-General
of DG DEVCO, were welcomed as special guests at the meeting to discuss
Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’: On Care for our Common Home, as well as the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Éamonn Meehan acknowledged Pope Francis’ positive influence saying
“CIDSE’s work is founded on Gospel values and the Church’s social
teaching and has been renewed and energised by the work of Pope
Francis.”

Former president Heinz Hödl described Laudato Si’ as a
personal “kairos moment”, saying, “It was a highlight for CIDSE and
myself to be a kind of ‘megaphone’ for the Holy Father’s messages
towards people, church leaders and political decision makers. I wish my
successor all the best and God’s blessings.”

CIDSE is an international family of Catholic social justice
organisations, working together to promote justice, harness the power of
global solidarity and create transformational change to end poverty and
inequalities.